Current manufacturing processes are very complex and the environments housing those processes are also elaborate. For example, it is common for a process to be set up in a one room or area, and the equipment supporting that process located in another physical area, for example, in an adjacent room, on floor or level below the process room, or even in a separate building. There are many advantages in separating the process from the equipment, for example, many processes are required to be conducted in a clean, if not sterile environment. However, the equipment supporting the process, for example, motors, pumps, valves, heating and cooling equipment, storage tanks, etc, is generally large, noisy and often physically dirty. Separating the equipment from the process generally only requires running more pipes and wires between an equipment control and process interface equipment at the process location and the location of the equipment supporting the process.
One disadvantage of separating the process and control from the supporting equipment is in troubleshooting and diagnosing problems. If a problem arises, the control operating the equipment and the equipment itself are in two different and separate locations; and therefore, at least two persons, one at each location and in radio or telephonic contact, are required to diagnose the situation. For example, one person operates the system control at the process location, while the other person observes the response at the equipment location. Further, even with those two people, it is still difficult to isolate control problems from equipment problems. In other words, if a device is not working, it is difficult to determine whether the device itself is not functioning or whether the process control is at fault by not properly commanding the device to operate.
Thus, there is a need to provide a system that provides an improved ability to isolate control related and equipment related problems in a manufacturing environment.